Many Coloradans raised their glasses when the Repeal of Prohibition went into effect for the state on September 26, 1933. Eighty years ago, fifteen state delegates were called to the state convention to formally ratify the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution, which repealed prohibition.

The ratification was set in motion by a two-to-one wet vote of the people to end the dry times in Colorado, two weeks prior on September 12, 1933.

Gov. Ed C Johnson at the time called the convention ‘doubly historic’ event. However, it was not an exciting affair according to Denver Post reporter Walden E. Sweets.

As the governor and the delegates gathered at the state capitol, delegate Mrs. Stuart P. Dodge gave a speech on the “four responsibilities facing realists.” Some may argue her keynotes could be poignant today.

WASHINGTON — Democratic Sens. Michael Bennet and Mark Udall asked Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel Wednesday to exempt a band of Utah National Guard engineers from furlough in the event of a government shutdown next week so they could get to work immediately helping Colorado rebuild roads.

The 120 engineers were to be dispatched this week to start rebuilding U.S. Highway 36 between Estes Park and Lyons.

But Pentagon officials told The Denver Post Tuesday they were holding off on sending the whole team until early October because of the threat of a government shutdown. Instead, a group of 50 leaders will come out this week and pre-position equipment, officials said.

A partial government shutdown would furlough hundreds of thousands of “non-essential” federal government employees — including the Utah and Colorado Guardsmen.

The pair discuss everything from a $1 billion education tax increase Coloradans will decide on in November to Obamacare and whether or not Gov. John Hickenlooper’s response to the Colorado floods will give him a bounce in the polls.

Gov. John Hickenlooper has another incentive to win re-election next year: the National Governors Association is holding its training program in Colorado after the 2014 election.

The NGA every two years hosts a seminar to assist newly elected governors in their transition from campaigning to governing. It will be held in Westminster the weekend of Nov. 14.

The NGA reports that among the 55 states, territories and commonwealths, there will 39 gubernatorial elections in 2014 with eight open seats. Hickenlooper, a Democrat, is running for a second term. He currently is vice chair of the NGA and will become chairman next July.

The bipartisan seminar in Colorado will features a series of workshops and business sessions in which veteran governors advise governors-elect and their transition teams on a myriad of administrative issues, including: managing the executive budget, shaping a vision for the administration, strategic scheduling and communications, and emergency preparedness (at this point Hickenlooper should be an expert on that latter topic).

At the same time, current governors’ spouses lead sessions with the spouses of governors-elect.

“The Seminar for New Governors is a unique opportunity for current governors to get to know their new colleagues on both sides of the aisle and offer advice in a relaxed setting,” Hickenlooper said in a news release.

Former Congressman Tom Tancredo told a group of Republicans over the weekend he thinks he can win the governor’s race, but the most important goal is not him becoming governor but somebody besides Democrat John Hickenlooper holding the office.

“Yes, I do think I can win,” Tancredo said, then added, “You pick the best. You pick who you think can make this happen. That is imperative. That is above all else. Get rid of Hickenlooper. Get rid of this left-leaning wacko legislature along with him.”

The other announced GOP candidates, Secretary of State Scott Gessler and state Sen. Greg Brophy, also addressed the State Central Committee Saturday. Brophy and Gessler talked about why they’re the best candidate for the job, but Tancredo’s speech, interestingly, was more about a generic GOP nominee for governor.

Pinewood Spring resident Judd Payne brings in supplies on the back of his ATV along the residents’ new trail along the Little Thompson River, and what used to be Highway 36, west of Pinewood Springs, Colorado, on September 22, 2013. (Photo By Helen H. Richardson/ The Denver Post)

WASHINGTON — A group of 120 Utah National Guard engineers has been told to wait a week to help rebuild U.S. Highway 36 between Estes Park and Lyons because of the gridlock surrounding funding the federal government, Pentagon officials told The Denver Post Tuesday.

Instead of sending out a team this week to help Colorado active-duty troops already on the ground, Utah’s Lt. Col. Hank McIntire said Tuesday he will instead send out a smaller group of 50 to get equipment ready in hopes Congress strikes a deal to keep the federal government open beyond next week.

“If there were no budget issues, the whole contingent would be going now,” McIntire said. “We’re doing what we can and what the budget allows us to do.”

Roughly 240 Colorado National Guardsmen are already toiling on flood missions and response under “training status,” which means the positions are funded by the federal government and would also be affected by a partial government shutdown.

Albright is known for her pin collection, and the Washington’s Post’s Reliable Source asked her if she had her “Tweet” pin made for her first tweet on Monday.

“A few months ago I was waiting for a flight, killing time in the Denver airport gift shop when I came across the ‘tweet’ pin. I’ve been waiting for a special occasion to debut it, and today seemed more than appropriate,” she said.

Denver Excise and Licensing Director Tom Downey quit on Monday — leaving a position that led the city’s regulation of medical marijuana and was in charge of putting together a framework for the coming retail marijuana system that begins in January.

Tom Downey resigned as director of Denver’s excise and licensing department on Monday.

Downey on Tuesday said “It was time for me to move on. Recreation marijuana is ready to go.”

Downey said: I have had the great pleasure to work with some amazing colleagues and stakeholders for the last 2+ years, and I am very proud of what we have accomplished.”

A press release from the Mayor’s Office on Tuesday said it has deployed a task force “to ensure cost-effective, timely service delivery as the city prepares to accept retail marijuana license applications beginning on Oct. 1.”

Lawmakers who demonstrate a “commitment to personal responsibility and consumer freedom” will be honored by the Colorado Civil Justice League’s annual legislative awards luncheon Oct. 11 in Denver.

The keynote speaker is Rocky Flick of Blitz USA, who will describe “How Lawsuit Abuse Doomed an American Icon.” Blitz USA manufactured red plastic gas containers, but was driven out of business by “personal injury lawyers who convinced courts and juries that Blitz was somehow liable when a handful of ill-advised customers” poured gas on an open flame, according to a news release from CCJL president Mark Hillman.

The lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Four Season Hotel’s Cottonwood Ballroom. To buy tickets contact go to www.CCJL.org.

Of the 46 lawmakers who are being honored, three are Democrats: Sen. Cheri Jahn of Wheat Ridge, and Reps. Angela Williams of Denver and Mike McLachlan of Durango. The other 43 lawmakers comprise the entire GOP caucus at the legislature: 28 House Republicans and 15 Senate Republicans.

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Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper clowns around a horse during the Biennial of the Americas in Denver in July. (Photo by Evan Semón, Biennial of the Americas.)

The idea was born in a conversation Sunday morning between Gov. John Hickenlooper and his 11-year-old son, Teddy: Wouldn’t it be great if the Broncos could help raise money for flood victims on “Monday Night Football,” when Denver takes on division rival Oakland.

Sunday afternoon Hickenlooper said he had been trying in vain to reach ESPN officials to pitch the idea.

“We could raise six or seven million dollars,” the governor said, propped on crutches in a 7-Eleven parking lot north of Longmont as he waited to start a tour of flooded oil tank facilities. (The governor is recovering from hip surgery.)

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.